NEW RELEASES : In Brief

* * * * Helen Merrill, “Clear Out of This World,” EmArcy. Merrill’s exquisitely veiled voice gains immensely from the support of Roger Kellaway as arranger, composer (of “Maybe”) and pianist of crystalline clarity, by the fluidity of Tom Harrell’s trumpet and fluegelhorn and by the almost surreptitious sax of Wayne Shorter on “Willow Weep for Me.” Bassist Red Mitchell lends a touch of fun with his assistant vocalism on “Some of These Days.”--L.F.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).